Breakdancing is the most physically demanding style of Hip Hop dancing.
Breakdancing is made up of many things like, toprock or (uprock), footwork, spinning moves (or power moves), and freezes.
Uprock is when the dancer is on both feet miming things like robots or waves and other types of movements. For instance when doing The Robot, the dancer will make stiff jerky moments with his body to give the elusion that he is a robot.
Footwork is done on the floor, at least 50% of your entire body weight is on your hands. A popular down rock move is called the 6 step. This moves would look like someone sitting on the ground with their legs dancing around them.
Power moves require agility, speed, and strength. These moves are made up from gymnastic and acrobatic moves, for example The Flare is a power move done on the floor that requires all of your body weight on your hands mostly one hand at a time. This move came from a popular gymnastic move, the pomalhorse.
Martial arts also had an effect in taking breakdancing to a new level, such as The Windmill. The Windmill was used as a way of getting up after falling. In breakdancing it is done a number of times, the push to get up is left out until a few rotations.
A Freeze is usually executed in the middle of a footwork routine. The breaker (breakdancer) will stop suddenly in an odd or strange position for a few seconds and then continue with their routine.
Breakdancing was created by African Brazilian slaves as their style of martial arts. The dance was dangerous so it was disguised to look playfull. The dancers move in a shifty side to side movement as they battel each other. The match starts to the rhythm of the Berimbau, a steel stringed bow instrument with a gourd resonator. It was usually accompanied
by a Pandeiro (tambourine), Atabaque ( a conga like drum ), and a Agogo ( African bell ). This art is called Capoeira, and it created most of the breakdance moves you see today.
If you have ever played Teken 3, you might have noticed a character called EDIE. This is a demonstration of Capoeira not Breakdancing. If you ever play Teken 3, this character is the way to go.
Breakdancing is fun, challenging, and requires lots of hard work and practise. If you are interested in learning some moves you can go back to The breakdance Moves page and select your move! If you have any facts or see any errors in this bref history lesson about breakdancing please tell me at cjjcs_2000@yahoo.com
